A Family Guide to the Lenora and Walter F. Brown Asian Art Wing

English

Photography by Peggy Tenison | Design by DVS Design

Cover: Jar; China; Ming dynasty, Wanli mark and period, 1573-1619; porcelain with painted cobalt blue under clear glaze, Jingdezhen ware; Gift from Lenora and Walter F. Brown, 85.135.8

Copyright © 2012, San Antonio Museum of Art. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America.

Written by Nan Allen and Molly Nunnelly, Edited by Susan ShawProject Director: Nicole McLeod

Special thanks to Kia Dorman, Associate Registrar, Erin Keelin, Curatorial Assistant for Asian Art, and John Johnston, Coates-Cowden-Brown Curator of Asian Art.

This guide begins on the 3rd floor of the West Tower, which is devoted to the arts of China. The 2nd floor showcases art from India, the Himalayas, Korea, Japan, and Southeast Asia.

Generously underwritten by the Lattner Family Foundation

THE SCHOLAR’S STUDIO

ART OF CHINA

The ancient Chinese believed they could be reborn in Paradise. To assist the deceased in the afterlife, a variety of mingqi were buried in the tomb. A qitou was an imaginary creature believed to be able to scare away unwanted visitors. Large objects such as horses signi�ed the wealth and status of the tomb owner.

The ancient Chinese believed they could be reborn in Paradise. To assist the deceased in the afterlife, a variety of mingqi were buried in the tomb. A qitou was an imaginary creature believed to be able to scare away unwanted visitors. Large objects such as horses signi�ed the wealth and status of the tomb owner.

Chinese art spans more than 5,000 years, encompassing a wide variety of materials and styles. The varied arts of China continue to be admired around the world. Your journey through the Chinese art galleries starts with tomb objects and moves through the Scholar’s Studio and ends in the series of galleries displaying Imperial porcelains.

A Chinese scholar’s studio was a private space where he practiced the Four Noble Pursuits– calligraphy, painting, music, and board games–in a quest for self-cultivation and knowledge. Scholars deeply respected nature and collected objects such as unusual rocks shaped like mountains.

Look around the room and imagine yourself as a Chinese scholar sitting at the desk writing, painting, listening to music, or playing a board game with a friend.

Earth spirit, or qitou; Tang dynasty, 618-907; earthenware with slip and pigment; Gift of Lenora and Walter F. Brown, 92.56Horse with caparison and saddle; Tang dynasty, 618-907; earthenware with slip and sancai glaze; Gift of Lenora and Walter F. Brown, 81.193.12Scholar's rock in the shape of a horizontal mountainscape; Qing dynasty, 1644-1911; Lingbi limestone; Gift of Rose Marie and John L. Hendry, III, 2010.1

Continue to the small ceramics room on the right. Look for a large brown and white jar in its own case. Find the wenren wearing typical scholar’s clothing and a hat with long ear�aps.

Search for other mingqi in the gallery. Look for of�cials, camels, a bull, a pig, and a watchtower.

DRAGON QUEST:

WORD WISE:

Qitou (CHEE-toe): Chinese for fantastic creatures or monsters. Mingqi (ming-CHEE): Chinese for ritual objects placed in tombs.Scholar: A learned person who studies a variety of subjects.Wenren: Chinese for the ideal scholar or gentleman.

DRAGON QUEST:

Walk around the case displaying the large blue and white vase painted with three plants. The popular design is called the “Three Friends of Winter,” which are bamboo, plum, and pine.

Look at the trunks. Each is cleverly twisted into a Chinese character, and each represents a scholarly virtue. The pine tree reads “longevity” and represents the virtue of steadfastness. The bamboo reads “good fortune” and stands for �exibility. The plum tree reads “prosperity” and symbolizes perseverance.

Chinese art is decorated with numerous images, many having hidden or symbolic meanings. Sometimes, the images are homonyms (words that sound alike but have different meanings) for Chinese words, such as fu, which can mean “bat” or “good fortune,” and lu, which can mean “deer” or “prosperity.”

HIDDEN MEANINGS

CHINESE CERAMICSBlue and white porcelain was invented in China over 1,000 years ago. The most prized porcelain was made in Jingdezhen (jing-duh-jhen), a city in southeastern China, using special local clays. Cobalt blue pigment, originally carried from Persia to China along the Silk Road, allowed ceramic artists to achieve decoration equal to that found in ink paintings.

The shiny surfaces of the ceramics in this gallery are created from a coating called glaze. When �red in a kiln, the glaze turns smooth and glass-like and seals theceramics so they will not leak.

Some characters on ceramics show when and for whom they were made. This one says: made in the Yongzheng Period of the Qing dynasty.

Did You Know? The word “porcelain” comes from porzella, the name Portuguese sailors and traders gave to the shiny cowrie shells they used for currency.

Earth spirit, or qitou; Tang dynasty, 618-907; earthenware with slip and pigment; Gift of Lenora and Walter F. Brown, 92.56Horse with caparison and saddle; Tang dynasty, 618-907; earthenware with slip and sancai glaze; Gift of Lenora and Walter F. Brown, 81.193.12Scholar's rock in the shape of a horizontal mountainscape; Qing dynasty, 1644-1911; Lingbi limestone; Gift of Rose Marie and John L. Hendry, III, 2010.1

Dish; Ming dynasty, Yongle period, 1403-1425; porcelain painted with cobalt blue underglaze, Jingdezhen ware; Gift of Lenora and Walter F. Brown, 98.8.3

Jar; Ming dynasty, Jiajing mark and period, 1522-1566; porcelain with painted blue under clear glaze; Gift of Lenora and Walter F. Brown, 2004.20.15

Vase in the form of archaic bronze vessel, or hu; Qing dynasty, Qianlong mark and period, 1736-1795; porcelain painted with cobalt blue underglaze, Jingdezhen ware; Gift of Lenora and Walter F. Brown, 92.25.2

Dish; Qing dynasty, Yongzheng period, 1723-1735; porcelain with overglaze enamels, Jingdezhen ware (famille rose type); On loan from James D. Thornton, L.84.10.1

Pair of vases; Ming-Qing dynasty, Transitional period, mid-17th century; porcelain with painted cobalt blue under clear glaze with overglaze enamels, Jingdezhen ware; Gift of Lenora and Walter F. Brown, 2008.21.46.1-2

Now that you know the hidden meaning, look for bats on other porcelains in the gallery.

Search for the characters meaning Human, Great, and Husband on a vase.

DOUBLE DRAGON QUEST:

Chinese words are writtenin characters, as shown here.Try it yourself in the empty

spaces below.

ren - human

da - great

fu - husband

ren

da

fu

ART OF JAPAN

SCREENS

This samurai suit of armor was worn for parades and other ceremonial occasions. Notice the mask, complete with mustache, designed for protection and to frighten the enemy. Between the 1600s and the 1800s, feudal lords, called daimyo, commanded great armies of samurai warriors who lived by a code of loyalty and honor both on and off the battle�eld. Each samurai wore his daimyo’s mon on his suit of armor. Find the mon on the samurai’s helmet, shoulder pads and gloves.

A norimono (nor-ee-moan-o) is similar to a chauffeur-driven limousine. The diamond-shaped mon indicates that this norimono belonged to a daimyo. Only he or his wife would have been carried in it. The silk-lined interior is painted with nature scenes.

Japanese screens display paintings on diverse subjects including popular tales from literature and history. Some screen painters depict events in a story by dividing each scene with golden clouds. Japanese screen paintings are read from right to left.

NORIMONO

Objects on display in the Japanese art gallery include items once used by samurai warriors.Other objects come from tombs, temples, and homes.

Palanquin, or norimono; Edo period, early 19th century; wood with lacquer and gold leaf, mounts with gilt copper, interior painting with ink, color, and gold on paper; Purchased with funds provided by the Lenora and Walter F. Brown Fund, the John and Karen McFarlin Fund, and an anonymous donor, 91.130Suit of parade armor, or tose gusoku; Edo period, 18th century; iron, leather, lacquer, silk, and gilt brass; Purchased with funds provided by Lenora and Walter F. Brown, Catherine and Thomas Edson, and Rugeley Ferguson, 2005.8Scenes in and Around Kyoto, Rakuchu rakugai-zu; Edo period, first half of the 17th century; Pair of six-fold screens: ink, pigments and golf leaf on paper; Purchased with funds provided by the Lillie and Roy Cullen Endowment Fund, 2001.51.a-b

Look for mon on other objects in the Japanese Gallery. How many different designs can you �nd? Three hollyhock leaves signify the Tokugawa family.

WORD WISE: WORD WISE:

Daimyo (DYE-myo): Japanese feudal lord.Feudal (FEW-dul): a society in which elite landowners controlled laborers and soldiers. Mon (MOHN): designs identi�ed with speci�c families placed on clothing and other objects; a family crest.Samurai (SAM-oo-rye): ‘to serve’ in Japanese. Samurai warriors belonged to the noble class and followed a strict ethical code.

Try this: Sit on the �oor in front of one of the screens and look at the story. Can you �nd any samurai warriors?

DRAGON QUEST:

Buddhist Art

BUDDHA

BODHISATTVAA bodhisattva (boh-dee-SAHT-vah) is a Buddhist deity who, rather than attaining complete Enlightenment, stays in the world to rescue all beings from suffering. Bodhisattvas are usually shown wearing crowns and elaborate jewelry.

Buddhist images are an important part of many Buddhist practices. Sculptures and paintings represent a variety of spiritual beings and states of mind.

Shakyamuni Buddha lived in India around 500 BC. He left his privileged life as a prince and wandered for years on a spiritual quest. He attained Enlightenment after many years of contemplation and started teaching others the way to Enlightenment. After his death, Buddhist teachings spread throughout most of Asia. Images of the Buddha havebeen made for many centuries and in many cultures.

Seated figure of Buddha; Ming dynasty, 15th-16th century; gilt bronze; Purchased with funds provided by Lenora and Walter F. Brown, 82.80.280.a-cGuanyin Bodhisattva; Song-Yuan dynasty, mid-13th century; wood, traces of pigment, and gilt; Purchased with funds provided by the Bessie Timon Endowment Fund and Lenora and Walter F. Brown, 85.58

WORD WISE:

Shakyamuni (SHAH-kyuh-moon-ee): the family name of the historical Buddha who founded Buddhism.Enlightenment (in Buddhism):the highest state of wisdom; the state attained after overcoming the cycle of birth, suffering, death, and rebirth.

Shakyamuni (SHAH-kyuh-moon-ee): the family name of the historical Buddha who founded Buddhism.Enlightenment (in Buddhism):the highest state of wisdom; the state attained after overcoming the cycle of birth, suffering, death, and rebirth.

Ushnisha (OOSH-knee-sha): smooth round knob that protrudes on the top of the head. Urna (UR-nah): a tuft of hair at the center of the forehead. A jewel or a crystal sometimes represents the urna.Long earlobes: signify that Shakyamuni Buddha wore heavy earrings when he lived as a prince.Mudra (muh-drah): symbolic hand gestures such as those displayed by the Buddha.Lotus Throne: The lotus �ower signi�es purity and is one ofthe most common symbols in Buddhist art.

Here are clues to help identify the Buddha in art:

Find different mudras on the various Buddhist sculptures.

Meditation Do not fear Teaching Earth-witnessing

DRAGON QUEST:

ART OF SOUTHEAST ASIA

Korean art often re�ects a deep appreciation for nature and is noted for simple, elegant forms.

The shape of a vessel often relates to its use. Maebyeong (MAY-be-yong) vases were inspired by the shapes of Chinese vases. Such vases were originally designed to hold a single branch of a blossoming plum. Over time, maebyeong came to be used as wine containers.

Celadon (SELL-ah-don): a greenish-grey color. The word comes from the name of a character in a French play who wore a grey-green cape. Celadon is a popular color for glazed ceramics in most of Asia. Goryeo dynasty (918 -1392) celadons are among the most prized.

The Southeast Asian Art gallery features ceramics from Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia. These ceramic objects were used in everyday life and for special ceremonies.

Bowls are sometimes attached to stands called stems. Stem bowls, such as this large one from Thailand, are used as drinking cups.

Did You Know? Censers are containers used to burn incense. This large, ornate container was placed on a Buddhist altar. If you look carefully you will see birds, dragons, and other creatures.

ART OF KOREA

Kendi (KEN-dee) are long-necked vessels used for ritual cleansing in Buddhist temples. The spout is a clue to its use. This one is made of bronze but such vessels are more often made of ceramic.

Ritual water ewer, or kendi; Korea; Goryeo dynasty, 918-1392; bronze; Gift of Floyd L. Whittington, 95.32.37Maebyeong; Korea; Goryeo dynasty, 13th century; porcelaneous stoneware with iron decoration under celadon glaze;Gift of Lenora and Walter F. Brown, 2006.4.1Censer; Vietnam; 16th century; stoneware, green and brown lead glazes; Gift of Lenora and Walter F. Brown, 2004.20.2Stem bowl; Thailand, Sawankhalok region; 15th century; porcelain stoneware, iron green glaze; Gift of Floyd L. Whittington, 95.32.26

WORD WISE:

Look for bottle-shaped vases in Korean art. Vessels of this shape stored liquids. Find a dragon chasing a �aming pearl on a blue and white bottle vase.

Two kendi and two bottle vases can be found in the Southeast Asian art gallery. Can you �nd all of them?

DRAGON QUEST:

DRAGON QUEST:

WORD WISE:

Mandala: Sanskrit for circle.Sanskrit: An ancient language of India and the source of the Tibetan script.Stupa (STOO-pah): Sanskrit for a mound or monument originally containing a body relic of the Buddha.Vajra (VAHJ-rah): Sanskrit for diamond or thunderbolt. In Buddhism, it symbolizes the power of all the Buddhas.

MANDALA

Buddhism came to the Himalayas in the eighth century AD. Much of the art from the Himalayas is intended to serve a Buddhist ritual function.

Look for the high-coiled hair and the miniature stupa on the head of this golden statue from Nepal. They indicate that this is a depiction of the Maitreya (MY-tray-uh) Buddha, also known as the Future Buddha. Maitreya holds a small vessel in hissleft hand while his right hand is held in a teaching gesture.

Vajrapani (vah-jraw-PAW-nee) represents the power of all the Buddhas. The angry and threatening appearance of Vajrapani conveys determination to overcome all obstacles to Enlightenment. The left hand is making a threatening gesture while the right hand grasps a vajra.

ART OF THe HIMALAYAs

SAMA’s sand mandala (MAHN-duh-luh) is dedicated to the Medicine Buddha and was created for a ritual to promote healing. Placing the colored sands in the right spaces takes many hours of work by specially trained Tibetan Buddhist monks. Normally, the mandala is destroyed at the end of the ritual, which provides an important Buddhist teaching on impermanence. This mandala was preserved for public viewing by special permission from His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

The Buddha of the Future, or Maitreya; Nepal; 17th century; gilt bronze; Gift of Rose Marie and John L. Hendry, III, 2005.17Vajrapani; Tibet; late 12th-13th century; cast copper alloy; Purchased with funds provided by the Ewing Halsell Foundation, 2004.6Medicine Buddha sand mandala; made in San Antonio by Tibetan Drepung Loseling monks of Karnataka State, South India, July 2001; marble sand with mineral pigments; Gift of Drepung Loseling Monastery in memory of Gilbert M. Denman, Jr., 2005.1.101

How many Buddhas surround the central �gure in the sand mandala? This is a lucky Buddhist number. Multiples of this number are found in each circle of the mandala.

DRAGON QUEST:

ART OF INDIA

GANESHA’S STORY

YOGINI

Vishnu, known as the Preserver of the Universe, is one of the three primary Hindu deities. He can assume any of ten different avatars. Images of Brahma and Shiva, the other two primary deities, are also in this gallery.

Did You Know? Hindu deities are often shown with multiple arms. Each hand holds a different object that symbolizes one of their many spiritual traits.

This female deity, sitting on an owl, is called a yogini. She has four arms, illustrating her superhuman strength and power. Her innerhands are held in a whistling gesture, while her outer hands hold a shield and a sword. This yogini was probably placed with similar �gures in a temple complex.

Ganesha, a beloved Hindu deity, brings good luck, wisdom, and success. The way he came to have an elephant head is a popular story. He was the son of Parvati, a beautiful goddess, and Shiva, the god of destruction. Shiva was gone for a long period of time. When he returned home, neither he nor Ganesha recognized each other. Ganesha would not let Shiva pass. Furious, Shiva cut off Ganesha’s head! Parvati was aghast when she saw her headless son and demanded that Shiva �nd a replacement head. An unlucky elephant crossed Shiva’s path and that is how Ganesha got an elephant head.

WORD WISE:

Avatar (AV-uh-tar): In Hinduism,a superhuman form of a deity. Yogini (yo-GHEE-nee): In Hindutradition, a female devotee or deity.

Indian art is often religious in nature and usually created for ritual use. Many of the sculptures in this gallery originally adorned temples.

Ganesha; India, Western Bengal or Bihar, Pala dynasty, 11th-12th century; black schist; Purchased with funds provided by the Bessie Timon Endowment Fund, 91.15Vishnu stele; India, Western Bengal or Bihar; Pala dynasty, 11th-12th century; chlorite; Gift of Rubin-Ladd Foundation in honor of Martha Blackwelder, 2002.12Yogini; India; Uttar Pradesh or Madya period, 10th-11th century; buff sandstone; Purchased with funds provided by the John and Karen McFarlin Purchase Fund, 90.92

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Congratulations! You havecome to the end of your Dragon Quest! We hope you enjoyed your journey through the SAMA Asian Art Galleries.

Look for sculptures of Ganesha’s parents, Parvati and Shiva.

DRAGON QUEST: